Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-10-01

stricken buck, and his name be accursed from
generation TO generation, in that the people
say that he slew his brother, Lousta, by
treachery in the night time
The old Zulu paused, and saw that he was
deeply agitated by his own story. Presently
he lifted his head, which he had bowed to his
| breast, and went on:
II was that man. Bougwan. Ou / was
that man; and now bark thoul Even as
am, so wilt thou be-a tool, a plaything, an OK
of burden to carry the evil deeds of another.
Listenl When thou didst creep after the
Lady of the Night was hard upon thy
track. When she struck thee with the knife
in the sleeping place OF the White Queen was
5here also. When thou didSt let her slip
away like a snake in the stones saw thee;
md knew that she had bewitched thee, and
shat true man had abandoned the truth,
and he who aforetime loved straight path
had taken a crooked way. Forgive me, my
father, If my words are sharp, but out of a
full heart are they spoken. See her no more,
so shalt thou go down with honor to the
grave Else because of the beauty of woman
that weareth as a garment of fur shalt thou
be even as / am, and perchance with more
cause have said"
| Throughout this long and eloquent address
1
tale began to shape itself so aptly to his own
case he colored up, and when he had learned
| that what had passed between him and
| Sorais had been overseen he was evidently
much distressed. And now, when at last he
| spoke, it was in a tone Of humility quite
| foreign to him.
II must say" he said with bitter little
| laugh, "that scarcely thought that should
| live to be taught my duty by Zulu, but it
| Just shows what we can come to- / wonder
| il you fellows can understand how Inundated
| feel; and the bitterest part Of it is that I
deserve it all. OF course should have handed
her over to the guard, but could not, and
| that is fact. / let her go and promised to
say nothing, more is the shame to me- She
told me that il l would side with her she
would marry me and make me king Of this
country; but, thank goodness, did find tho
heart to say that even to marry her I could
not desert my friends. And now you can dc
what you like; deserve it all. All have to
say is that hope you may never love
woman with all your heart and then be SO
sorely tempted of her." and he turned to CO.
"Look here, old fellow" said Sir Henry,
"just stop minute: have little tale to tell
you, too" And he proceeded to narrate what
had taken place the previous day between
Sorais and himself.
This was finishing stroke to poor Good.
| 1t is not pleasant to any man to be made
| tool Of, but when the circumstances are as
| peculiarly atrocious as in the present case II
| is about as bitter pill as anybody can ba
| called upon to swallow.
"Do you know he said, II think that be-
| tween you you fellows have about worked
cure" and he turned and walked away, and
for one felt very sorry for him. All, If the
moths would always carefully avoid the can
die, how few burnt wings there would bel
That day was a court day, when the queeni
sat in the great hall and received petitions
discussed laws, etc, and thither we adjourned
shortly afterwards. On our way we were
| Joined by Good, who was looking exceedingly
depressed, and no wonder.
When we got into the hall Nyleptha wai
already on her throne, and proceeding with
business as usual, surrounded by councillors
courtiers, lawyers, priests, and an unusually
| strong guard. 1t was, however, easy to set
from the air of excitement and expectation
on the faces of everybody present that no
body was paying much attention to ordinary
affairs, the fact being that the knowledge
that civil war was imminent had now go'
abroad. We saluted Nyleptha and took our
accustomed places, and for a little while
things went on as usual, when suddenly the
trumpets began to call outside the palace
and from the great crowd that was gathered
there in anticipation Of some unusual event
there rose roar of "Sorais! Soraisl"
Then came the roll of many chariot wheels,
and presently the great curtains at the end
of the hall were drawn wide, and through
them entered the LADY of the Night" herself
Nor did she come alone. Preceding her waa
Agon, the high priest, arrayed in his most
gorgeous vestments, and on either side were
| other priests. The reason for their presence
was obvious-coming with them it would
have been sacrilege to attempt to detain her.
Behind her were a number of the great lords,
and behind them small body of picked
guards. glance at Sorais herself was
enough to show that her mission was OF no
peaceful kind, for in place of her gold en-
| broidered "kaf" she wore a shining tunic
formed of golden scales, and on her head q
little golden helmet. In her hand, too, she
| bore toy spear beautifully made and fash
| toned of solid silver. Up the hall she came,
| looking like lioness in her conscious pride
| and beauty, and as she approached the spec
tators fell back bowling and made path for
| her. By the sacred stone she halted, and
| laying her hand on it, she or ed out with a
loud voice to Nyleptha on the throne, "Hail,
| queen!"
"All hail, my sister," answered Nyleptha.
"Draw thou near. Fear not, give thee safe
| conduct"
Sorais answered with naughty look, and
swept on up the hall till she stood right be-
| fore the thrones.
"a boon, o queenl" she cried again.
"Speak on, my sister; what Is there l can
| give thee who hath half our kingdomi"
| tall trina NUOrd--rtla and
| the people of Zu- Vendis Art thou, or art
| thou not, about to take this foreign WOLF"
| and she pointed to Sir Henry with her toy
spear ato be a husband to thee and share thy
| bed and throne2"
Curtis WINGED at this, and turning towards
| Sorais, said to her in low voice, "Methinks
| fi,nt rncterdnu thnn hadst other names than